


Superman: Man of Tomrrow

by The_Fierce_Lion94



Series: DC Animated Movie Universe Extended [1]
Category: DCU, Superman - All Media Types
Genre: Daily Planet, Kandor City, Krypton, Major Character(s), Metropolis (DCU), New 52, New York, Prime 52 Universe, United States
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-10-26
Updated: 2020-10-26
Packaged: 2021-03-08 20:22:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,668
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27202424
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/The_Fierce_Lion94/pseuds/The_Fierce_Lion94
Summary: 2011.Three years before the invasion of Darkseid, a young man is about to begin his story in the modern city of Metropolis. That young man is Clark Kent, foster son of the Kent family from Smallville, Kansas. He tries to make a name for himself in the bustling streets of the City of Tomorrow.It didn't take long for the infamous "Superman" to catch the attention of the citizens of Metropolis, and the United States Government. On the orders of the United States Department of Strategic Homeland Security (U.S.D.S.H.S.), General Sam Lane of the Army must capture the so called "Superman" by any means necessary. Aiding him is the infamous Alexander Luthor of LexCorp. Meanwhile, an ominous shadow continues its journey to earth.This is the story of one man who will soon become a legend that will be celebrated for centuries to come:Kal-El, the Last Son of KryptonClark Kent, the farm boy of SmallvilleSuperman, the Man of Tomorrow
Series: DC Animated Movie Universe Extended [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1752610
Comments: 1
Kudos: 3





	Superman: Man of Tomrrow

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Surprise!
> 
> Bet you didn't see this one coming. Welcome to the first of many Superman stories that I've got cooked up for this series. One of the many shames of the DC Animated Movie Universe run was the lack of Superman movies (Death and Reign were too good to be the only ones!). So here is my take on a sort of "origin" of this Superman in my DCAMU:E series!
> 
> This story is pretty much heavily adapted from the first run in the New 52 Action Comics, so I'll put a friendly little disclaimer.
> 
> I do not own any of the characters presented in this story, and are owned by DC Comics!

**MEDIA LEGEND**

“Talking”

“ **Brainiac”**

“ _Thoughts”_

“ _ **Telepathic Dialogue”**_

'Written Words'

**'Keywords'**

**Locations/ Dates**

_Narrator/ Explaining Events/ Emphasizes_

**[SOUND EFFECTS]**

* * *

_Three years before the Invasion of Darkseid._

_Three years before the formation of the Justice League._

_Three years before all the countless adventures of heroes and villains._

_This is the story of how one young man in a big city,_

_tries to make his mark on the world._

_In doing so he becomes a legend,_

_that will be celebrated for centuries._

_Kal-El, the last son of Krypton_

_Clark Kent, the farm boy of Smallville_

_Superman, the Man of Tomorrow_

SUPERMAN: MAN OF TOMORROW

**United States of America**

**New York, Metropolis**

**Monday, April 11** **th** **, 2011**

“I'm happy to accept the job.”

“Are you sure? I'll need about two hundred T-Shirts.”

“Sure, we can do that.

“By Wednesday, if you want.

“And you want this printed on all of 'em? What is it, some kind of  **'college crest'** ?”

A young man dress in a pair of brown boots, blue jeans, and a brown sweater stands before the store owner with his hands in his pockets. A large brown bag leans lazily on his left shoulder.

The young man fixes his glasses that are over his striking blue eyes. "You'll see. Anyway, I have to go to a job interview. Thanks again!"

The store owner waves a lazy hand. "Don't mention it. I actually like this design." He places the large sheet of paper containing the design. On it is a shield with a red border. A large red 'S' is placed inside with a yellow background.

The young man smiles at that and exits the small local store to the busy streets of the big city.

This young man is Clark Kent.

He had recently moved to the big city of Metropolis in the New York state. It was hard saying goodbye to his Ma and Pa, but he wanted to take a chance and leave his print on the world. And what better city to do so than the City of Tomorrow?

"Now to go for that interview," he says. It didn't take him long to find the place of his interview. The words 'DAILY STAR' above a single star greets him. He enters through the revolving doors, up the elevator, and finally into the main office for his interview. A middle-aged man dressed in a suit with a red tie and a pair of round glasses greets him. The two shake hands and sit down to begin the interview process.

George Taylor, the top journalist, and editor-in-chief at the Daily Star nods his head after the young man finishes talking. "I tell you what, the job's all yours if you want it, kid."

“R-really?” asks the young man as he perks up.

George nods once again. “It's your turn to show the world what you can do. I'll tell you what my first editor told me. The story never comes  **'before'** the people in the story.”

“I'll... uh... I'll try to always  **'remember'** that, Mister Taylor.”

George smiles. “Good. Now, let's talk about your expectations for working with the company.”

* * *

**Later**

**Downtown Metropolis**

“You know I'm cool with this Clark, and the offer's open any time. You can crash right here as long as you want.”

“Nah, Jim, I appreciate the offer. You've been a real  **'pal'** but I've waited three months to get into my own place. And I WAS leaving two hours ago...”

“I just need you to help me crack this level.”

A scoff. “Whoever designed this level sure has a sick sense of  humor. This game is ripping off about a dozen obscure movies so far...”

Jimmy Olsen was the first real friend Clark had made when he first came to Metropolis. They had bumped into each other in the subway, and as if being guided by fate, the two soon became fast friends. The lovable redhead had even let Clark crash at his apartment while he was looking for work.

“You know I'd help you move your stuff if you HAD any,” says Jimmy as he flies his helicopter around a destroyed city.

"I'm okay. You know, the last level was a frame for frame from  _ The Experiencer _ ,” Clark says, referencing yet another cult classic movie.

“You had nothing to do but milk geese and watch movies on that  **'farm'** in Kansas, right? I thought I'd seen every movie ever until you showed up!" 

He screams when a bunch of enemies shot at his helicopter.

“Dude! I was totally relying on you to wipe out those fallen angel assassin dudes.”

Clark laughs. “I'm a  **'pacifist'** , Jim. I said I'd drive and fly the choppers.” 

It took a bit of work, but the two friends finally manage to beat the last dreaded level of the game. Clark sits up and stretches with a loud groan. He looks out the window to see an impressive view of the downtown.

"One thing I'll miss is this view every morning...” Clark says. He whistles. “Wow. I should be taking pictures.”

“You should have at least one very  **'rich'** and very guilty  **'parent'** . I take pictures of hot girls, Clark. People buy the girls, not me. If I could make one  **'single dime'** on a picture credit that would get me taken seriously at the  **'Daily Planet'** ,” Jimmy says with a scoff.

“You never seemed like some who needed money, Jim...”

"Money's no big deal, it's the respect I need. You know, my mom was this big-time model. She left my dad for this musician dude, and it was all parties and drugs. She crashed in the Bowery, wasted, blew all her dough and that's where I grew up. Dad crawled back into our lives when I was seventeen and gave me... all this.

“That's my excuse for being messed up.”

Clark chuckles. “Oh, you're messed up, Jim. A guy who knows  **'Lois Lane'** . How do I get to meet Lois Lane?”

Jimmy pauses the game to look at Clark. “Are you a  **'war hero'** or a  **'billionaire'** ? If not, apply elsewhere. Seriously." He sighs and returns to his game. "So this is the  **'only'** reason you hang out with me.”

"She writes like she doesn't care who she upsets... Reading Lois Lane is like watching a Martial Arts display."

“This is so typical of you, Clark. You wait until the day you're leaving to admit to this obsession. Man, nothing about the City of Tomorrow ever changes.”

Clark fixes his glasses. “I guess we'll see about that, Jim.”

* * *

**Wednesday, April 13** **th**

**Evening**

A group of heavily armed men stands on the rooftop of a tall building. They are escorting a young woman who is tied up. Each of the men wears the mask of animals to hide their identities.

“-We got the policewoman. We're on the roof of the court building. She's the last witness against you, sir,” one of them speaks into a smartphone.

“Get the job done, Angus. Get her on the chopper and get out of there,” an elderly man in a blue suit says. He spots a man and a woman approaching him. “We'll talk. I have a very important one o'clock meeting.”

“Yes sir!” he hangs up. “Hey! Let's get out of here before anyone noticed she's gone-”

**[WHOOOSH!]**

“What the...” the man whispers.

Clark stands before them with his arms crossed. He wears a pair of black boots, dark blue jeans, and a shirt with a bold 'S' on it. The red cape blows in the wind on his back, with the large black 'S' glinting off the rays of the sun. The getaway helicopter has been flipped upside down with little to no difficulty.

The man raises his gun. “Back off or I'm bringing out the guns, kid. I'm givin' ya a chance to beat it!”

“Or what?” Clark asks, his eyes glowing red. “You'll  **'shoot'** me? Go on. Shoot.”

“OPEN FIRE!”

A barrage of bullets headed his way. Clark simply stood there as the bullets fall at his feet like flies.

“...” the gunmen were rendered speechless.

“Care to waste some more bullets, boys? Let the lady go, and start running.”

“OH YEAH?” one of them shouts, pulling up with an R.P.G.

“Oh shit-”

**[BOOOM!]**

The explosion smacks right into Clark's face, sending him flying over the edge.

“What was that?”

“What just happened?”

“Shut up and get outta here!” Angus barks.

Clark can feel his consciousness slipping as he smacks into an alley beside the building.

“Wohhh!” a kid jumps when Clark crash land near him. “Mister? Are you... okay?” the boy gasps when he sees Clark's red cape. “Awesome!” the boy takes the cape and ties it around his neck as he runs away.

“Unnh... Oww...” Clark groans. “I'm gonna feel that in the morning...”

* * *

**Thursday, April 14** **th**

**The Daily Planet**

“What  _ is _ this, Olsen?”

“...It's exactly what you think it is, Mr. White.”

A chuckle. "I gave your friend a chance, Lois. Instead, he gives me photoshop!"

“I was there, Perry. Add this to a history of mystery strongman sightings in the Midwest. This is for real.”

Perry White, the editor-in-chief at the Daily Planet, sighs as he reclines in his chair. White is considered one of the toughest journalist in the entire American West. He has lived in Metropolis his entire life, growing up in the rough neighborhood Southside, better known to its occupants as **'Suicide Slum'** . His strength and integrity have led him to become a very successful journalist, and underneath his leadership, the Daily Planet hasn't missed a single issue through crises after crises. Despite his tough-mindedness and grouchy personality, he has always been a kind and fair boss. He has a loving wife and two kids. 

Standing beside him is Jimmy Olsen, the best pal to Clark Kent, and  **'Lois Lane'** , the army brat daughter of the great General Sam Lane. Lois Lane is a hot-blooded woman who is strong and assertive. She is more than capable of handling herself in dangerous situations. She gets along well with her family, mainly her mother and younger sister, however, her relationship with her father is at best rocky, and worst explosive. Her violet eyes stare at the pictures Jimmy had taken, mainly on the red cape with the black 'S'. 

“No, this is the Daily Planet. Not the Tattler. What's next: God Found Dead in Cleveland? I run a respectable newspaper,” Perry says. Lois sighs and fixes her black hair behind her ear.

“It's real, Mr. White. He jumped  _ sixty _ feet in the air!” Jimmy defends himself.

Perry grunts. “Then prove that to me, both of you. The reputation of the paper was founded on scrupulous research.”

“Like I said, Perry. I saw it myself. They shot the guy with an R.P.G. and he didn't turn to dust and spray,” Lois says. “And this cape thing. It didn't have a  _ scratch _ on it. The military is developing stuff like this, Perry.”

"IF your dad wants to confirm that..." says Perry as he glances at her out the corner of his vision. "So you saw a body? You have pictures after he was hit by a rocket?"

“That's the thing- he survived. We went to look for him in the alley, but by the time we got there, he was gone.”

Perry grunts once again. “Very convenient.”

“Perry, this is huge,” says Lois as he twirls a pen in between her fingers. “He's wearing a cape. The sign on his back is the same on his shirt. Like a tattoo. See, it's like stylized goldfish.”

“You're looking at the negative space...” Jimmy says.

“He's right. It looks like an 'S'. Mr. S. So what does the 'S' stand for?”

Lois looks out the tall windows of Perry's office.

“A story that we need to uncover.”

* * *

**An Apartment Complex**

The boy who stole Clark's cape walks boldly into the room where his family lives. He can already hear the sounds of screaming, crying, and flesh being hit.

“YoU dOn'T tAlK bAcK tO mE!” a man shouts in a drunken state. He raises his hand and slaps a crying woman across her face, sending her crashing into the kitchen table. She hits her head with a painful cry and lays still on the ground.

“Mom!” a little boy cries.

"AnD aS fOr YoU, bRaT..." the man slurs as he grabs the little boy the neck and gets him into a chokehold. "I'm GoInG tO kIlL yOu!"

“Leave him alone,” says the boy with the cape as he steps forward. “Leave them ALL alone.”

"HuH??? yOu WaNt SoMe? HuH?" the man slurs as he brandishes a knife. He charges forward the knife, intending to stab the boy. However, the boy raises the cape over him like a shield to block the knife.

**[TSHCKK!]**

“?” the drunken man stares at his broken knife with a startled expression.

“... **'Luke'** ?” the little boy asks the boy in the cape.

“It's okay,  **'Paulie'** . We're outta here,” Luke says with a glare.

“WhAt ThE hElL dId YoU jUsT...?” the drunken man asks.

**[BAM!]**

Luke runs forward and punches the drunken man in the gut with the cape.

“BLARRGGGHH!” the drunken man vomits the content of his stomach. Luke grabs Paul's hand and they make a break for it.

* * *

**Meanwhile**

“...I just know you're gonna love it here. We have artists, musicians, models, my surrogate family... This is  _ Boho Central _ , Clark. I was raised in a permissive age.”

“I... uh... I was raised in the middle of nowhere.  **'Mrs. Nyxly'** . My nearest neighbors were  _ four _ miles away on the next farm.”

An elderly woman with long white hair dress in a plain blue t-shirt, black pants, and brown boots chuckles as she opens the door leading to her apartment room. Clark walks in behind her with his hands in his pockets. He fixes his glasses as he stares around the small room, curious about all the pictures and clothing inside.

“You'll adore it here,” Mrs. Nyxly says. Clark notices a few frame pictures on a small table. Mrs. Nyxly notices him studying them, and decides to indulge him. “That's my nephew,  **'Ferlin'** , who curates the Music Museum. Next to him is my  **'husband'** ...”

She moves to stand beside him. “He was an  **'entertainer'** ...  **'Mystic Mr. Triple X'** ." In the picture is a tall elderly man with white hair dress in a spiffy black tuxedo. He holds a wand in his left hand as he smiles brightly.

“A magician. Played to  **'royalty'** .”

“Wow. Does he still live here?” Clark asks.

Mrs. Nyxly smiles sadly. She moves to pick up a small purple hat. “This... this silly old derby hat was his  **'trademark'** .”

“I'm sorry, Mrs. Nyxly... I don't mean to... I mean... Did he  **'pass away'** or something?”

“A  **'rival'** magician messed with one of his tricks. He's been in a  **'coma'** , on life support, for  **'seven years'** ," she says as she moves to place the derby back on the coat hanger. She grabs the key she is looking for and guides Clark up the stairs to his room. 

“That's terrible, Mrs. Nyxly,” says Clark with genuine sadness. “I'm so sorry to hear that. I wish there was something I could do.”

"It's not your fault, Clark. No apologies necessary," she says with a tender smile. She hands the key to Clark once they reach the room. "This little bag's  _ all _ you've got? Some kid.”

“Let's say, I love to travel  _ light _ ,” Clark says. He walks into the room with a bright smile. Finally, his own place.

“Look, I'm gonna leave you to get settled in. It's small, but I hope you like it here.”

“Don't worry about that, Mrs. N.”

She nods. "Okay then. Take care, Clark." She quietly closes the door behind her. Clark listens as her footsteps get further and further away.

"Now then," Clark says as he opens the blinds to another beautiful day in the City of Tomorrow. He unzips his brown sweater to reveal a blue shirt with a large 'S' on it.

“Time to get to work.”

* * *

**Somewhere in Metropolis**

“Where are we going?” Paul asks.

“I dunno. I guess we can go anywhere we wanna,” Luke answers. The two find themselves in a train yard on the older side of Metropolis.

“What do you mean anywhere? Are we leaving? We can't leave mom with him!” Paul cries.

“Don't worry, we can get her later! This cape will help us,” Luke says. “You wear this, nothing can hurt you. Nobody's gonna hurt you or me or anyone else again. So I'll have you take it.”

“AlL rIgHt, BoYs. YoU'rE cOmInG wItH mE, iT's AlL oVeR.”

The boys' gasps as the drunken man stumble forward with a liquor of booze in his hand. He takes a long swing and wipes his lips with the back of his hand.

"Don't come to us! I'll kill you!" Luke threatens. "Don't even think about it!"

“YoUr MoM's WoRrIeD... sHe'S wOrRiEd AbOuT yOu. An' ThAt- WhAtEvEr It Is YoU'rE wEaRiNg... YoU hAnD tHaT oVeR...” the man takes uneven steps forward. Luke growls and hides a trembling Paul behind him.

Meanwhile, a lone taxi drops its occupants off on the street near the train yard.

"Welcome to Metropolis, yesterday's City of Tomorrow. Jimmy, I don't know why I agreed to this in the first place. Now we're in the back streets of hell,” says Lois as she steps out of the taxi.

“Just let me call Clark to make sure I got the right address...” says Jimmy as he taps away on his phone. “You'll like Clark, he's cool.”

“He lives  _ here _ ?” says Lois as she wrinkles her nose.

“You loved his blogs, come on.”

“Who lives  _ here _ ?”

Jimmy sighs. “Clark's the real deal. You'll see.”

“If you say so...” Lois trails off as she notices something over by the train yard. “What's going on over there? Jimmy... There's something...”

Over by the train yard, Luke continues to shout at the drunken man as they back away.

“GeT bAcK hErE!”

“No! Keep away!” Luke shouts. “We're NEVER coming back with you.”

“The rails. They're moving!” Paul cries out.

“Huh?” Luke turns his attention away from the drunken man. The man takes this moment to stumble forward and grab Paul from Luke's side. 

“GoT yA!”

A train comes around the corner on the tracks that Luke stands on. The sight causes him to freeze in fear as the train comes closer and closer. The train blows its horns as it gets closer.

“No! NO!” Paul cries.

“wAtCh ThIs! YoU sEe WhAt HaPpEnS? yOu'Re GoNnA wAtCh ThIs!”

“NO! Luke, run!”

“Nothing can hurt you...” Luke whispers to himself. He hugs the cape around his little frame tighter. “Nothing can ever hurt you again...”

As the train comes barreling down, Clark suddenly leaps down in front of the train. He presses his back against it and digs his brown boots into the tracks.

**[SSSSKRREEEEEEEEEECCCCHHHH!]**

Clark grunts as he stops the train just before it smashes into Luke.

“That was close!” says Clark with a deep breath. He holds out his hand to Luke.

“I only borrowed it...” Luke whispers in fear as he hands it over.

Clark smiles. “Don't worry about it. This means a lot to me. Thanks for looking after it for me.”

“Jimmy... Please tell me you got the shot...” Lois whispers in awe.

“Ohhh yeah, I did,” Jimmy whispers back.

Lois continues staring at the mystery man in complete awe at what he did. Her violet eyes burn with a drive as she studies every square inch of Clark's appearance.

Clark bends down on his knees and places a comforting hand on Luke's shoulder. “I heard everything. That bully won't bother you again... I'll make  _ sure _ of that.”

Luke nods his head. “Can I ask you somethin', mister? What does the 'S' stand for?”

Clark smiles.

“Hope.”

* * *

The police quickly arrived and arrested the drunken man. Lois and Jimmy were there as witnesses as well and helped in the investigation. The man has soon been charged with numerous crimes, including drugs and illegal guns. The brothers and their mom were rest assured that he won't ever bother them again. Now the family can move forward and heal from the abuse they had been suffering under for years. Lois and Jimmy helped bring the family's situation to the public, causing a huge amount of support. Perry White also thought it was a good idea as well.

Lois continues typing away at her keyboard. She looks to see Perry shaking Jimmy's hand. Looks like little Olsen has gotten himself a job at the Daily Planet. Lois smirks. Of course, it is all thanks to her. She turns her attention back to her computer monitor. On it is a single picture. The picture of a young man with a flowing red cape leaping into the air. Like a super man or something...

Wait...

Lois has gotten an idea. A BIG idea.

“ **'Superman'** .”

_THE START OF A NEW LEGEND IS ABOUT TO BEGIN!_

_CLARK WILL RISE ABOVE TO BECOME A SHINING BEACON OF LIGHT TO THE WORLD!_

_NEXT UP:_

_SIX MONTHS LATER!_

_CLARK GETS HIS REVENGE ON THE GANG WHO KNOCKED HIM OUT_

_HOWEVER THAT DRAWS THE ATTENTION OF THE METROPOLIS POLICE DEPARTMENT,_

_THE UNITED STATES ARMY,_

_AND_

_LEX LUTHOR!!_

_BUT BEFORE THAT,_

_LET'S TAKE A TRIP A FEW YEARS IN THE PAST_

EXTRA: THE END OF DAYS

**2004**

“-Just fascinating,  **'Professor Zackro'** . It's the most exciting paper I've ever read!" says a middle-aged man with brown slick back hair and a pair of large round glasses. In his hands is a large book. "Why won't you let me continue your research?" 

This man is  **'Erik Drekken'** , a biology student who stumbled onto the papers of  **'Emery Zackro'** , and his thoughts on the future of human evolution.

"Young man, that paper ruined my career," says an elderly man with grey hair and mustache. “Despite my documentation, the serious scientific community called it  _ Science Fiction _ . No one would take any of my work seriously after that. I won't let the same happen to you, or anyone else.”

“But if you're right. This could mean a  _ sea change _ for the human race! The start of a new  _ Golden Age _ ! If you won't let me work with you, then at least help me continue on my own. Put me in touch with the  **'Subject'** of your case study. If he can do half of what you said-”

“Absolutely not! He is a human being, not a lab rat. He's already been through enough.”

The man in glasses frowns.  _ “How could the Professor be so blind? Didn't he understand the implications of his own research?” _ Erik thought with disdain. He left shortly after and instead of heeding Emery's warnings, decides to pay a visit to the subject of the professor's research. 

The drive was long, but Erik finally reaches the residence of  **'Adam Blake'** .

_ "From the description in Zackro's paper, the person I'm looking for is somewhere here in this part of rural Kansas," _ Erik thought as he walks towards the small home. He raises his fist and knocks on the door.

“ _Judging from the way the locals talk about strange things happening around here, this could be the place.”_

"Who is it?" asks a middle-aged man dress in blue overalls.

"Mister Blake? I'm following up on the research that Professor Zackro conducted around here a few years ago. Perhaps you remember him? Considering the stories people tell about the  _ Blake Farm Ghost _ , I thought-”

The man's face twists into a rage as he pushes Erik roughly. "I never heard of any Zackro! And there's NO Blake Farm Ghost either! You're trespassing on my land!"

**[SLAM!]**

The man slams the door immediately. “GET OUT!”

Erik sneers at the door and leaves before the man truly gets violent. "So much for small-town hospitality."

Erik gets back on the roads with a frown. By now heavy rainfall descends upon the land.  _ “Another dead end. Probably best to wait until morning, and then move on to the next town. Hope I don't have to try every little town in Kansas, but sooner or later, it should-” _ Erik thoughts are interrupted as a large appears above him. 

"What in the world-?" He looks down in shock to see the figure of a person quickly approaching. "HOLY SHIT!" He desperately turns the steering wheel as fast as he can. His car swerves to the right and breaks through the steel barrier. "NNNOOOOOOOO!" Erik screams as his car falls. However, to his shock, his car stops midair, surrounded by pink psionic energy. "What... i-impossible!" 

The person he almost hit sets the car down onto the road with ease.

“It's you! It has to be! The one Zackro wrote about! The one he called  **'Adam'** !” shouts Erik as he exits the car. The person who stands before him is a teenage boy with long black hair and glowing pink eyes.

“Emery Zackro. Yes,” Adam answers. “Professor Zackro helped me understand what I had become.”

“Born one hundred thousand years before your time! Or that's what he estimated in his paper, anyway. But you're a kid... even younger than me!”

“Age has never been a factor. My earliest memory is my own birth. And the  **'comet'** that passed overhead at the same moment. I could not have seen the comet, but I knew it was there.”

“Mutation induced by the comet's radiation! You have to let me  _ study _ you!”

“That will not be possible.”

“But there are so many questions to be answered! That comet must have passed over  _ thousands _ of people! Why did it only affect  _ you _ ? If we could isolate and replicate the critical factor-”

“Neither necessary nor possible,” says Adam as he holds out his hand.

“But-”

“It's unnecessary because Professor Zackro has already collected all the relevant data. It's impossible because-”

Erik gasps as three large entities in purple smoke appear behind Adam.

“-It is time for me to go.”

“Go? You mean... Go?”

“I am needed.”

“But-but you're needed here! If what Zackro wrote is true, you could hold the key to unlocking the evolutionary advancement of all mankind!”

“The greater good lies elsewhere. There is a list of doomed planets. Their only hope lies in the  **'Planetary Cuckoos'** \- the ones who don't belong.”

“Planetary WHAT? Anyway, who's to say this  _ list _ is even real? Because they told you?”

“No. Because I  _ know _ .”

“ _ **ALIGNMENT. TIME. GO,”**_ says the three floating entities inside Adam's mind.

“Yes, all right. I am ready.” Adam floats into the air, heading towards the space ship.

“How can you just turn your back on the advancement of your own people? Your own planet? To run off for the sake of others?” Erik cries out after him.

“My people turned their backs on ME long ago. Clearly, however, you do not understand. I am not doing this purely for the sake of others. One of the doomed planets on the list-”

Adam turns around just before he teleports into the space ship.

“-Is the planet EARTH.”

**[BOOOOOOM!]**

The space ship blasts off in a burst of pink energy. Kirk watches it disappear behind the stormy clouds with a crestfallen expression.

“ _Flying men. Aliens. The end of the earth. That settles it. I have to get my hands on Zackro's data- whether he wants to share it or not! It's not just a case of bringing mankind into a Golden Age anymore.”_

He climbs into his car and drives off.

_"If all of that talk about doomed planets was true, the stakes just rose- to the survival of the human race! If the earth is going to be prepared for this threat, I need to find a way to replicate that comet's radiation- to push mankind up the evolutionary ladder!"_

Erik's face twists into a determined frown.

“ _It may take years, but I WILL succeed-_

_-Or my name isn't Erik Drekken.”_

_THE END OF DAYS WILL BEGIN IN 2013._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, the end of this chapter pretty much confirms another Superman story, this time taking place in 2013, one year before the infamous Darkseid invasion. That one will be fun with all the dimension hopping that will occur. Stay tuned for that!
> 
> I estimate this story will be a very short one, as it's just a simple "origin" story of Clark becoming the famous Superman in Metropolis. 
> 
> Hope you all like it, more will come shortly!


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